Improvement in playing-cards



R. R. LANDIS.

PLAYING-CARDS.

No. 170,381. 'Patented Nov. 23,1875.

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'rnN'r ROLAND R. LANDIS, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

IMPROVEMENT IN PLAYING-CARDS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 170,381, dated November 23, 1875; application filed September 6, 1875.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, ROLAND R. LANDIs, of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Cards to be used in Playing Social Games, of which the following is a specification, reference also being had to the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification.

My invention is designed to furnish an am using game for young persons, and so arranged that in cases where the game is objectionable each card may be detached from the game, and used asa reward-of-merit card complete in itself.

This game employs fty cards, forty-eight of which contain each a Bible or other story, and two cards, one of which is called the champion or advantagecard, and the other the Philistine77 or disadvantage card.

To illustrate my invention I select the two latter cards, and mark them, respectively, tigures 1 and 2, and the remaining forty-eight cards, each of which contains a story, and has the same value in playing the game, can be sufciently illustrated by selectin gone of them, which I mark gure 3.

The manner of playing is a new one, and combines both skill and chance.

The following are the rules of the game: Rule l. Shuffle and deal all the cards. The players then ascertain who holds the champion card, but the whereabouts of the Philistine card is to be kept secret until the end of the game. The holder of the champion card begins the game by calling for some card which he does not hold, and continues to call for the same or any other card, from any player or players, until he has missed twice.

Rule 2. The holder of the champion card, after the second failure, extends his cards, face downward, to the person (or persons) on whom he missed. The latter then draws one card (or two if the caller missed twice on him) from the number so extended to him, which he adds to his own hand.

Rule 3. The next player at the left calls on any player for some card which he does not hold, and continues to call until he misses once.

. Rule 4. When a player misses he extends champion card observingrules l and 2, the

other players observing rules 3 and 4.

Rule 6. The object ofthe game is to obtain the most sets. The players lay aside the c ompleted sets until the end of the game, when they are counted. Four cards make a set.

Rule 7. When all the Vsets have been com-A pleted, the player who holds the Philistine card forfeits his sets to the player who completed the last set, unless that one holds the champion card, in which case he forfeits his sets to the player who completed the last set but one. Of course, if the holder of the Philistine card himself completed the last set, then there is no forfeiture.

Rule 8. When the champion card is drawn it carries its special` privileges with it, and the former holder afterward plays like the other players.

Rule 9. The players are entitled to know who holds the champion card as often as that card changes hands; but with the other cards it is different, and when any of them (and especially the Philistine card) are drawn they must not be made known.

Rule 1,0. No player can call for a card unless he has one of that set in his hand.

Rule 11. The champion and Philistine cards cannot be called for, and only change hands when drawn.

In cases where games of chance are objectionable for any reason, and are not desired to be used in connection with cards containing Bible or other stories, the story -cards can be separated from the game, and each card become complete vin itself, by cutting the card at a point left in each of said cards for that purpose between the double-leaded border and the hair-line border, as shown in Fig. 3, dotted line marked a a.

rlhe stories on the cards are inclosed in a heavy double-leaded border, while the additional titles are inclosed in a light hair-line border, purposely so arranged that, cutting vaaron.

thecards` between the two borders, as above Bible or other stories, said story-cards beingl described, they do not'appear mutilated; but arranged tofbe readily converted into rewardpresent equally as finished and complete an appearance after as before the cutting.

I claim-- A pack of game or playing cards, compris` ing a champion or advantage card,a Philistine or disadvantage card, and forty-eight or other suitable number of cards containing of-meritv cards, substantially as shown andldescribed.

ROLAND R. LANDIS.

Witnesses A. B. BALDWIN, R..W. RIQABY. 

